Had a realy bad launch this weekend.
Could have ended really bad.
So I'm looking for advice.
Not flames!!

Wind was 17-20knots. Flying a 2002 11 2m Wipaka, I'm about 60 kg.

So got someone to help me launch, kite was at 90 to the wind.
He let go, the kite started going up then started to sink. It drifted right in to the wind window. Got craze powered up, and draged me 150m down the beach!

I couldn't reach the trim strap. Finnally managed to crash the kite.
Had to change my shorts and thank the wind gods that the wind was cross shore, and not on shore.
Scared shitless now.

Wasn't badly hurt, like I said was very lucky.
Please let me know what I should of done different, and maybe I will grow the balls to try again.

I reckon you were way over sheeted onyour rear lines(it will make yur kite fly backwards).maybe pull your depower strap before launching,get to the water then sheet out your strap to what you like to ride.

First of all, I think you had too big of a kite for the conditions. I'm about the same weight as you and in 17-20 kts, I'm flying my 12m well powered - you were launching a 15 (2002 Wipika sizing is projected, not flat).

Also, why didn't you release the kite to the leash? If you were dragged 150m, and you were trying to reach the trim strap, you obviously had time to do so.

Did you figure out what went wrong? Were the lines set up properly (all lines to proper pigtails and nothing twisted, and kite trimmed properly, not over/under sheeted)? Why did the kite stall, if not due to improper rigging? Was it launched too far upwind, or in the wind shadow of something?

i think that you might just have launched the kite too far in front of the windwindow. then the kite drifts backwards into the powerzone and by the time backward speed is compensated by enough power it will reverse and fly fast forward again. this is especially dangerous in gusty conditons because then the kite really accelerates fast from the powerzone when a gust hits and you get dragged. try to get the launchassistant to really find the perfekt angle to release the kite. or even better you should walk up and down with som tension in the lins to feel the perfekt launch angle.

this has happened to me aswell. of course it can also be bad tuning of the kite. Anyway, test your security stuff alot.
Good luck.

A few things could have caused this. Oversheeting, a gust, a lull or a wind shadow could have caused it to drop back into the window.

Another lesson learned is to pull the QR sooner rather than later. Make sure you've tested it and know how it works. If you don't have one hand on it when you launch then at least have it on your mind.

Quote:

I couldn't reach the trim strap.

Were you not you fully depowered when you launched?

Glad you weren't hurt. I some ways a scare like this does you good 'cos it gives you an idea of how things can go wrong and makes you reassess the safety side of things.

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